Ellsworth
10-23-2024, 01:43 PM
I really like cargo hitch carriers, they save me a lot of gas because they can often enable leaving the truck at home.
That said, they do have some drawbacks.
They can hide tail lights, difficult to attach ratchet straps to (I don't like using the expanded steel), et cetera.
So I've come up with a solution to nearly every drawback to hitch carriers.
In the process, it makes them 110% more usable and safe.
Here is the totality of the process: Pretend the hitch carrier is a trailer.
Once I had that principle, then adding stake pockets and strap attachments points just came naturally.
The safety chain might seem redundant.
The top surface of the wood blocks are ever so slightly higher than the factory frame angle iron that they sit beside and are attached to the expanded steel via screws/washers.
The angle iron welded onto the sides have holes on the lower leg for strap anchor points. If you have a hole punch it's a fast way to add attachment points and seems plenty strong.
The stripes index the attachment points.
The safety flags are removable, they slide into some small diameter metal pipes (standard bicycle flags with fiberglass poles... cut short and the flappy part of the flags removed).
The next version will be a little more refined (wire run inside a metal tube, permanent lights, et cetera).
But as is, this thing is all kinds of more useful than a standard hitch carrier.
Here are pictures of Version 1.0
Edited to add:
I occasionally think, "should I move the license plate?"
Or instead can I order a duplicate plate?
Can I have an exact copy reproduction/counterfeit plate made? (the tabs crash that idea!)
Would a printed picture of the plate, laminated and glued to some tin, and attached to the hitch carrier be enough to send the right message?
Can I license this thing, just like a trailer? (the tabs crash that idea!)
After those thoughts I always come to my senses and just keep doing what everyone else does.
I figure it's the extra lights that matter on those rare trips.
That said, they do have some drawbacks.
They can hide tail lights, difficult to attach ratchet straps to (I don't like using the expanded steel), et cetera.
So I've come up with a solution to nearly every drawback to hitch carriers.
In the process, it makes them 110% more usable and safe.
Here is the totality of the process: Pretend the hitch carrier is a trailer.
Once I had that principle, then adding stake pockets and strap attachments points just came naturally.
The safety chain might seem redundant.
The top surface of the wood blocks are ever so slightly higher than the factory frame angle iron that they sit beside and are attached to the expanded steel via screws/washers.
The angle iron welded onto the sides have holes on the lower leg for strap anchor points. If you have a hole punch it's a fast way to add attachment points and seems plenty strong.
The stripes index the attachment points.
The safety flags are removable, they slide into some small diameter metal pipes (standard bicycle flags with fiberglass poles... cut short and the flappy part of the flags removed).
The next version will be a little more refined (wire run inside a metal tube, permanent lights, et cetera).
But as is, this thing is all kinds of more useful than a standard hitch carrier.
Here are pictures of Version 1.0
Edited to add:
I occasionally think, "should I move the license plate?"
Or instead can I order a duplicate plate?
Can I have an exact copy reproduction/counterfeit plate made? (the tabs crash that idea!)
Would a printed picture of the plate, laminated and glued to some tin, and attached to the hitch carrier be enough to send the right message?
Can I license this thing, just like a trailer? (the tabs crash that idea!)
After those thoughts I always come to my senses and just keep doing what everyone else does.
I figure it's the extra lights that matter on those rare trips.